Housing Adaptation Grants

During the summer Dublin City Council closed its scheme that gives grants to elderly and/or sick people who need to adapt their homes to allow them continue to live independantly.  The reason the City Council had to close the scheme is because Minister Hogan had cut funding for the grants by 50%.   At the September City Council meeting I proposed an Emergency Motion, which was passed by the full City Council,  calling on Minister Hogan to reverse his decision to cut funding by 50% for housing adaptation grants for older and disabled people and to use some of the €100million available to him in Dormant Accounts to re-open the grants. Last year the council administered €10 million in these grants. This year, the Minister gave less than €5 million forcing Dublin City Council to stop accepting applications and to advise those already approved that they will not receive their payment until next year. These grants make a huge difference to peoples lives. They are the difference between being stuck in a hospital and coming home. The cut makes no sense as it is far more expensive to keep people in hospital than to be cared for at home. The grants also support local construction jobs. Hopefully the Minister will see sense and use some of the Dormant Accounts fund to restore funding.  Mary

Cabra Road Bus Shelter

At the December 2012 meeting of the Central Area Committee I submitted a motion to ask Dublin Bus to provide sides to the in-bound bus shelter on the Cabra Road at the seventeen shops. In response to this motion the City Manager wrote to Dublin Bus and recently they replied saying that they will arrange to have it checked out and that they will revert back in due course.  Mary

GPO museum

The GPO, Dublin

At the September meeting of the Central Area Committee I proposed a motion expressing members appreciation to An Post for the information they shared with us regarding their plans for the development of the GPO museum.  The motion also called on An Post to amend their plans to make the main building, which was the scene of many historic events at the GPO, the central component of any GPO museum. The motion was agreed and a letter will be sent to An Post reflecting the terms of the motion.  Mary

Moore Street National Monument

At the July meeting of the Central Area Committee I proposed a motion, which if implemented by the Government would instruct NAMA to make available sufficient funding to ensure the restoration of the National Monument on Moore Street and to provide an appropriate commemoration and interpretive centre in time for 2016. In response to this motion the City Manager received a letter from the Department of the Taoiseach, who reported that the matter has been brought to the attention of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the motion has been noted.  Mary

Joint Policing Committee

On September 23rd 2013 I chaired the quarterly meeting of the Dublin Central Joint Policing Committee in City Hall. At the meeting Gardai and Dublin City Council gave detailed reports on activity in Dublin Central during the previous quarter. Issues addressed at the meeting included anti-social behaviour on Fassaugh Avenue & St Laurence’s Place East, Traffic breaches at Doyle’s corner, homeless hostels in the Phibsborough area, mobile phone theft, traffic accidents in the Drumcondra area, empty units at St. Finbar’s Court, Neighborhood Watch, Off-licence test purchasing, staffing of Garda Drugs Unit, Halloween, Operation Assist, anti-social behavior, street crime, “better city for all” report, burglaries, Phoenix Park concerts, Neighborhood Watch, privately rented properties and many other items. The meeting was recorded and a webcast is available here.   The date of the next meeting is Monday 16th December 2013 @9.30am in City Hall. Please email me if there are any issues you would like addressed by the Joint Policing Committee. Mary